Garment hangers with trouserclamping means



y 1961 D. D. CHANKIN 2,984,394

GARMENT HANGERS WITH TROUSER-CLAMFING MEANS Filed May 4, 1960 IN VEN TOR. DAN/71S D. cHA YK N "Wm/Aw United States Patent GARMENT HANGERS WITH TROUSER- CLAlVlPING MEANS Dannis D. Chankin, 48-30 190th St., Flushing 65, NY.

Filed May 4, 1960, Ser. No. 26,875

9 Claims. (Cl. 223-91) This invention relates to garment hangers, and in particular to devices of this type generally termed coat and trouser hangers which are light-weight in construction and are provided with clamping means for immobilizing a pair of trousers or a skirt or similar article of clothing hung thereon.

Clothes or garment hangers as aforesaid ordinarily include a pair of coat-supporting arms diverging downwardly from a suspension hook, and a cross bar extending between the free ends of the said arms remote from the hook and adapted to support a pair of trousers or like flat-folded article of clothing.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved construction for garment hangers of this type which renders the same very inexpensive to produce and readily available to the average purchaser at relatively little cost.

It is another object of the present invention to provide means combined with such hangers for clamping a pair of trousers or the like in position on the cross bar and for thus preventing slippage of the trousers along or off the cross bar whenever the hanger is suspended from its suspension hook either on a rack or other supporting means or in the hands of a person transporting the hanger.

The foregoing and other objects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description thereof when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a garment hanger constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and illustrates the trouser-clamping means in the inoperative position thereof;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, partly broken away to show certain constructional details, of the hanger of Fig. 1 with the trouser-clamping means in the operative position thereof;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 in Fig. l; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 55 in Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, it will be seen that a gar-ment hanger according to the present invention comprises a coat-supporting frame 11, a trouser-supporting member or cross bar 12, and a suspension hook 13. As usual, the frame 11 comprises two arms 11a diverging downwardly relative to each other from an apex 11b. The frame 11 is composed of a pair of substantially channel-shaped members 14 and 15 (see Fig. 5) each of which has the V-shaped outline shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and which are joined to one another in edge to edge relationship along the top and bottom thereof, as shown at 16 and 17. Thus there is formed Within the frame 11 a hollow space 110 which extends from one end of the frame to the other.

cross bar without any difficulty.- The knob 13c is at "ice The frame members or sections 14 and 15 are preferably made of a suitably strong thermosetting resin or similar synthetic plastic material, and thus can, by way of example, be afiixed to one another by means of any suitable organic solvent or bonding medium such as a plastic cement. It is to be understood, however, that other materials than plastics may also be employed, and that in any event individual fastener elements such as rivets, bolts or the like may be used to join the members 14 and 15.

The cross bar 12 of the hanger 10 is preferably circular in cross-section so that an article of clothing such as a pair of trousers T (indicated only in part in Figs. 1 and 2) may be hung thereon without creasing. The opposite ends of the cross bar :12 are attached to the free ends 11d of the coat-supporting frame arms 1 1a at the undersides of the latter. The cross bar is also preferentially made of a synthetic plastic material, generally the same as that of the frame 11.

The arms 11a adjacent the free ends 11d thereof are provided, respectively, with openings 18 in their undersides, such openings being preferably formed by pairs of corresponding recesses initially provided in the lower edges of the members 14 and 15. As best shown in Fig. 2, two trouser-clamping members 19, which are substantially L-shaped in outline, are pivotally mounted in the arms 11a by means of pins or rivets 20 extending across the space between the arm sections 14 and 15. The longer part of each clamping member 19 is provided in its bottom surface with an arcuate, preferably semicircular groove 21 which is mated to the peripheral surface of the cross bar 12 and thus to the curvature of any article of clothing, e.g. the trousers T, placed thereon, and the openings or slots 18 are sufficiently long to permit unrestricted angular movement of the members 19 for bringing the longer parts 19a thereof into and out of the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The shorter parts 191: of the clamping members 19 are located interiorly of the respective hanger arms Hz: at all times. As clearly shown, the parts 19a and 19b of each clamping member are disposed on opposite sides of the respective axis of pivotal movement defined by the associated pin or rivet 20.

Articulated to the free end of each clamping member part 19b by means of a cross pin or rivet 22 is a connecting rod or link 23 which is preferably metallic and flat (see Figs. 3 and 5) but may be made of other mate.- rials. The opposite ends of the rods or links 23 are articulated by means of a pin or rivet 24 to the shank 13a of the suspension hook 13 the curved part 13b of which is, as usual, adapted to be suspended from a rack or hook indicated schematically at 25. .The shank 13a is provided at its bottom end with a knob orenlargement 13c and extends slidably through a pair of openings 26 and 27 formed in the hanger frame 11 at the apex 11b thereof. As will be clearly understood, the openings 26 and 27 are formed by providing in the. frame sections 14 and 15 at the apex of each of the same a semicircular recess.

In operation, when the garment hanger 10 is removed from its support 25 and held by the frame 11, the weight of the metallic suspension member or hook 1.3 will cause the same to slip downwardly through the openings 26 and 27 which will in turn cause the links 23 to be dis-v placed longitudinally toward the arm ends 11d. As a result, the clamping members 19 are pivoted about their axes 20 to move the parts 19a upwardly and away from the cross bar 12 until they are entirely received within the hanger arms 11a, as shown in Fig. 1. t This permits the trousers T to be placed onto or removed from-the time spaced from the lowermost surface of the frame 11, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

When, on the other hand, the hanger is suspended from the support 25 or held by a person gripping the curved portion 13b of the hook 13, the weight of the hanger and any clothing hung thereon will pull the frame 11 downwardly along the shank 13a to the extent permitted by the knob 13c. Both of the clamping members 19 will, therefore, be pivoted about their axes 20 so as to move their parts 19a downwardly and toward the cross bar 12 until they engage the latter or the article of clothing T suspended therefrom. This ensures that such article of clothing can neither slip off the cross bar nor along the same into one of the hanger corners at any time. Thus, any accidental and undesired soiling or creasing of the said article of clothing are positively prevented by the present invention. This is an especially great advantage when the hangers are being transported about, as during a period of travel or when clothes are moved from one location to another in a clothing store or in the home.

It is to be understood, of course, that the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is for the purpose of illustration only, and that a number of changes and modifications of the disclosed structure are possible without any departure from the Spirit andscope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus particularly described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A garment hanger, comprising a coat-supporting frame having two arms diverging from one another, a suspension member extending slidably through said frame, a cross bar connected at its opposite ends to said arms adjacent the free ends of the latter, clamping means pivotally mounted on said arms adjacent said free ends of the latter and having a clamping portion thereof engageable with said cross bar, and link means interconnecting said clamping means with said suspension member, whereby movement of said suspension member in one direction relative to said frame effects a pivoting of said clamping means so as to cause said clamping portion of the same to engage said cross bar or an article of clothing hung thereover, while movement of said suspension member in the opposite direct-ion relative to said frame effects a reverse pivoting of said clamping means and consequent movement of said clamping portion thereof away from said cross bar to permit such article of clothing to be placed on or removed from said cross bar.

2. A garment hanger, comprising a coat-supporting frame having two arms diverging from one another, a suspension member extending slidably through said frame substantially at the junction of said arms, a trousersupporting cross bar connected at its opposite ends to said arms adjacent the free ends of the latter, a pair of clamping members pivotally mounted, respectively, on said arms adjacent said free ends of the latter and arranged thereon so as to be juxtaposed to said cross bar, each of said clamping members having a clamping portion thereof engageable with said cross bar, and a pair of links extending longitudinally of said arms and interconnecting said clamping members with said suspension member, whereby upon movement of said suspension member in one direction relative to said frame said clamping members are pivoted so as to cause said clamping portions thereof to move toward and engage said cross bar or a pair of trousers or like article of clothing hung there over, While upon movement of said suspension member in the opposite direction relative to said frame said clamping members are pivoted so as to move said clamping portions thereof away from said cross bar to permit such article of clothing to be placed on or removed from said cross bar.

3. A garment hanger, comprising a substantially V- shaped coat-supporting frame having .two arms diverging relative to one another downwardly from an apex of said frame, a suspension member extending vertically slidably through said frame at said apex thereof, a trouser-supporting cross bar connected at its opposite ends to said arms adjacent the free ends of the latter, said arms being at least partly hollow and provided with a pair of openings located, respectively, adjacent the junctions between said arms and said cross bar, a pair of clamping members pivotally mounted, respectively, within said arms adjacent said openings and each having a clamping portion adapted to extend through the respective opening so as to be positioned along said cross bar, and a pair of links extending longitudinally of said arms, respectively, each of said links being articulated at one end to said suspension member and at its other end to the associated clamping member, whereby upon upward movement of said suspension member relative to said frame said clamping members are pivoted so as to move said clamping portions thereof out of said arms and toward said cross bar for engaging the same or a pair of trousers or like article of clothing hung thereover, While upon downward movement of said suspension member relative to said frame said clamping members are pivoted so as to move said clamping portions thereof away from said cross bar and into said arms to permit such article of clothing to be placed on or removed from said cross bar.

4. A garment hanger, comprising a substantially V- shaped coat-supporting frame having two arms diverging relative to one another downwardly from an apex of said frame, a suspension member extending vertically slidably through said frame at said apex thereof, a trouser-supporting cross bar connected at its opposite ends to said arms adjacent the free ends of the latter, said arms being hollow throughout their length to said apex of said frame and provided with a pair of openings located, respectively, at the undersides of said arms above the junctions between said arms and said cross bar, a pair of clamping members pivotally mounted, respectively, Within said arms adjacent said openings and each having a clamping portion adapted to extend through the respective opening so as to be positioned along said cross bar, and a pair of links located within said arms and extending longitudinally therethrough, respectively, each of said links being articulated at one end to said suspension member and at its other end to the associated clamping member, whereby upon upward movement of said suspension member relative to said frame said clamping members are pivoted so as to move said clamping portions thereof out of said arms and toward said cross bar for engagement with the same of a pair of trousers or the like hung thereover, while upon downward movement of said suspension member relative to said frame said clamping members'are pivoted so as to move said clamping portions thereof away from said cross bar and into said arms to permit such pair of trousers or the like to be placed on or removed from said cross bar.

5. A garment hanger according to claim 4, each of said clamping members comprising a two-armed body having the pivotal mounting thereof at the junction of its arms, one of said arms of each body being short and articulated to the corresponding one of said links, and the other of said arms of each body being long and constituting the said clamping portion of the respective clamping member.

6. A garment hanger according to claim 5, each of said long arms of said bodies being provided in the surface thereof facing said cross bar with an arcuate groove the curvature of which approximates that of said cross bar.

7. A garment hanger according to claim 5, at least said frame, said cross bar and said clamping members being made of synthetic plastic material.

8. a garment hanger according to claim 7, said suspension member and said links being made of metal.

9. A garment hanger, comprising a coat-supporting frame having two arms diverging from one another, a suspension member extending slidably through said frame substantially at the junction of said arms, a trouser-supporting cross bar connected at its opposite ends to said arms adjacent the free ends of the latter, said arms being hollow throughout their length and provided with a pair of openings located, respectively, adjacent the junctions between cross bar and said arms, a pair of clamping members pivotally mounted intermediate their ends, respectively, within said arms adjacent said openings, a first part of each of said clamping members to one side of the pivot thereof being located, in one angular position of the respective clamping member, entirely within the associated one of said arms and, in another angular position of said respective clamping member, extending through the associated one of said openings to the exterior of the associated arm so as to be positioned along said cross bar in trouser-clamping position, a second part of each of said clamping members to the other side of the pivot thereof 10 their trouser-clamping positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 15 2,423,369 Brunner July 1, 1947 2,441,407 Glauies May 11, 1948 2,478,297 McGirr Aug. 9, 1949 2,846,128 Fuller et a1. Aug. 5, 1958 

